Pin retaining means



2 Sheets-Sheet l gwve/ntozs 9% H. W. STERTZBACH El AL PIN RETAINING MEANS Filed June 18, 1951 June 11, 1935.

Jqne ll, 1935. H. WJSTERTZ BACH ET AL ,0

PIN RETAINING MEANS Filed June 18, 1931. I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED v STAT PIN RETAINING M ANS "Harry W. Stertzbach; John S; McPherson, and Arthur H. Filander, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company,

Columbus, Ohio Application .lune 18, 1931, Serial No. 545,324

in Claims. (01. 213-72)' positionto receive the horizontalkey beforethe parts will. function properly. Furthermore, the

.1retainer is so constructed that after the horizontal key is in place, the pin cannot be removed. until after the removal of the key.

Aiurther object is to provide such a construction in which the retainer cooperates with a cotter .pinor the like, which cotter is effective if the key is left out of theassembly either accidentally orintentionally. V V

. With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects: in view which will appear as the. 3. description proceeds, the invention consists inv thenovelgfeatures hereinafter described in detail, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

; In'thedrawings, i

' *1 is a topplan view'partly in horizontal section of a draft gear arrangement in which the verticaly'oke and swivel coupler are connected by a 'vertical'pin held inplace by our improved retaining means.

Fig. 2 is aside eleva tion of the same with parts in longitudinal vertical section. f

Fig; 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional: View of a-detail, -and. more clearly illustrating the means. for eretaining the swivel pin in place.

t-iFig. 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the same. v I .1 wFig. 5 is a bottom plan view.

6 is a front view of a portion of a modifi-.

45. cation.

a-Fig; 'Z is a longitudinal vertical sectional of the .sameonthe line 1-? of: Fig. 6.

0 Referring to the drawings] designates a vertical swivel yoke ordrait member, and 2 acouplershank; These parts are connected by means of a yerticalpin 3 of special construction, which provides what is commonly known as aswivel connection; A horizontal keyli passes through theseparts and isused to-partially support the couplerand yoke assembly, and also as .a safety View measure, for it provides draft means tothe car sills 5- in case the yoke straps break. 1

The partsenumerated are assembled inflthe following manner: The yoke I,with the custom; ary draft gear and follower blocks, (not shown) in place between the straps, is raisedintozposi tion between the center sills 5 and heldin pesi tionby securingtheusual carrier to .thefsills, The coupler shank is then inserted through, the; opening I in the striker 8, and:the.removable; carrier iron 9 is then inserted in place. Then the pin. 3 is insertedirom below, as theccyer plate I9 and the car body will not allow the pin to be inserted from above. The pin,.retainer II is put in position andthehorizontal key A can then be inserted. r 1 3 It will benoted in the above arrangement that the pin 3 is insertable from below,.arnd is held in place by special retaining means .whichiwill now be explained in detail. i

The vertical pin, in accordancewith the pres-.

.l ent invention, can. only be inserted in its correct position. Otherwise, the retainer Il..cannot be applied,.that is, thelpinitmust, be insertedright sideup, and the notchportion I2 in thepinjinust, be in its properposition to receive thehorizontal key. The retainer 1 I, as'bestshown. in Fig. l, is of substantially inverted U-shape, andafter thehorizontal key 4 is in place, the retainer cannot be removed until after; thelremovalfof; said key. The depending lugs I 3, 9Ind I4 preventsuch removal. The lug I3 is of such a :depth'that it will pass through the slots-I5 of the depending.

F TE NT CE bracket I 6 when thepin Sis elevated until stopped. I

by theoverhanging ledge I! on topof the yoke, but also of suflicient depth so that when the key 4 is in place, the clearances between the various parts are not enough to permit the lug I3 to pass the bottom of the slot:I5 When the notchIZ is not in positionto receiveythe key 4,; the lower cut-awayj-portion I8 of thepin is not in position to receive the retainer I I. h

Thebracket I6 is provided with a rear wall Ilia which extends for the full length of the bracket, and this constructionnallows the pin 3 to be wedged into;transverse alignment by driving in the retainer- II from one side: or thenother, providing of course, that the pin isnot more than 90? out of alignment when the retainer is started throughthe slot I5. I r h I A cotter pin I9 can be attached at the endof the; key, but normally, when allparts are in position, the cotter is not necessary as part of the retaining means, for as explained above the retainer I I- cannot beremoveduntilafter the. key

4 is taken out. The cotter would be effective only if the key 4 is left out of the assembly, either accidentally or intentionally. Lugs 20 form part of the bracket [6, and one of them will extend over the cotter pin and prevent the retainer i I and the cotter from raising. This reduces the shearing strain on the cotter, as any force tending to shear the cotter must be an upward force, and this force is resisted by the weight of the retainer II and key 3 in addition to the cotter.

The retainer is chamfered at 2! to assist in starting the pin by allowing it to be inserted at an angle. Of course, the retainer prevents the vertical pin from rotating.

Figs. 6 and '7 show a modified retainer Ha. of substantially T-shape, which is shorter than the retainer ll, due to the use of one depending lug Be at the center instead of two lugs at the ends. A cotter pin Ilia is employed for securing.

the retainer to the bracket lGb. This modified construction is particularly useful when a deep centersill is used on the car and there is insufiicient room between the sill and yoke bracket to start the longer retainer.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and it is apparent that changes may be made in the'details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a coupler shank, a draft member, a pivot pin connecting the coupler and member and having a notch at its lower end, integral means on the member engageable with the top of the pivot pin for limiting its upward movement, a bracket depending from the bottom of 'the member and provided with oppositely disposed slotted lugs, and a pin retainer extendin through the slots of the lugs and having a side surface engageable with the notch of the pin for limiting downward movement of the pin and preventing the pin from turning, said retainer being prevented from removal from said slots so long as the pin is in its lowermost position, and said integral means being normally spaced from the head of the pin a suflicient distance to allow the pin to be elevated to a certain height to permit removal of the retainer from said slots.

2. In combination, a coupler shank, a draft member, a notched pivot pin connecting the coupler and draft member, integral means on the member engageable with the top of the pivot pin for limiting its upward movement, a bracket depending from the bottom of the member and provided with oppositely'disposed slotted lugs, and a pin retainer extending through the slots of the lugs and having a side surface engageable with a notch of the pin for limiting downward movement of the pin and preventing turning of the latter, said pin being of cylindrical shape from end to end with the exception of its notched portion, said retainer being prevented from removal from said slots so long as the pin is in its lowermost position, and said integral means being normally spaced from the head of the pin a suflicient distance to allow the'pin to be elevated to a certain height to permit removal of the retainer from said slots.

3. In combination, a coupler shank, a draft member, a notched pivot pin connecting the coupler and draft member, means on the member engageable with the top of the pivot pin for limiting its upward movement, a bracket depending from the bottom of the member and provided with oppositely disposed slotted lugs, and a pin retainer extending through the slots of the lugs and having a side surface engageable with a notch of the pin for limiting downward movement of the pin, said retainer having a depending lug adapted to pass through one of the slots when the pin is in its uppermost position, said retainer being prevented from removal from said slots so long as the pin is in its lowermost position, and said first mentioned means being normally spaced from the head of the pin a suificient distance to allow the pin to be elevated to a certain height to permit removal of the retainer from said slots.

4. In combination, a coupler shank, a draft member, a pivot pin connecting the coupler and member and having an upper key receiving notch and a lower pin retainer notch, stationary means on the member engageable with the top of the pivot pin for limiting its upward movement, a bracket depending from the bottom of the mem ber and provided with oppositely disposed slotted lugs, a rigid rugged pin retainer extending through the slots of the lugs and having a side surface engageable with the lower notch of the pin for limiting turning and downward movement of the pin, and means for locking the retainer to said bracket, said retainer being prevented from removal from said slots solong as the pin is in its lowermost position, and said stationary means being normally spaced from the head of the pin a suflicient distance to allow the pin to be elevated to a certain height to permit removal of the retainer from said slots.

5. In combination, 'a coupler shank, a draft member, a pivot pin connecting the coupler and member and having an upper key receiving notch and a lower pin retainer notch, stationary means on the member engageable with the top of the ivot pin for limiting its upward movement; a' bracket depending from the bottom of the member and provided with oppositely disposed slotted lugs, and a rigid rugged pin retainer extending through the slots of the lugs and having a side surface engageable with the lower notch of the pin for limiting turning and downward movement of the pin, said retainer being prevented from removal from said slots so long as the pin is in its lowermost position, and said stationary means being normally spaced from the head of the pin a sufficient distance to allow the pin to be elevated to a certain height to permit removal of the retainer from said slots. 7

6. The combination with a coupler member and a draft member, of a notched pin connecting said members, a bracket at the bottom of one of said members and having oppositely disposed slots, a removable retainer extending through said slots and engaging the notch of the pin for holding the pin in position, said retainer having a depending lug portion capable of passing through one of the slots when the pin is in a raised position, but cooperating with the bracket and acting to prevent removal of the retainer when the pin is in a lower position, and means on the upper portion of one of said members to limit the upward movement of the pin and to prevent the pin from being introduced into the members from above, said retainer being prevented from removal from said slots so long as the pin is in its lowermost position, and said last mentioned means being normally spaced from the head of the pin a sufiioient distance to allow the pin to be elevated to a certain height to permit removal of the retainer from said slots. g

7. The combination with a coupler member and a draft member, of a notched pin connecting said members, a key held in place by said members and extending through one notch of the pin, a bracket at the bottom of one of said members and having oppositely disposed slots, and a removable retainer extending through said slots and engaging the other one of the pin notches'for holding the pin in position, said retainer having a depending lug portion capable of passing through one of the slots when the pin is in a raised position, but cooperating with the bracket and acting to prevent removal of the retainer when the pin is in alower position, said key normally preventing the pin from moving upwardly to said raised position.

' 8. The combination with a coupler member and a draft member, of a vertical pivot pin connecting said members and provided with front andrear notches, a horizontal key held in place by said members and extending through the front notch of the pin, a bracket at the bottom of one of said and acting to prevent removal of the retainer,

when the pin is in a lower position, said key normally preventing the pin from moving upwardly to said raised position. i v

9. The combination with a coupler member and a draft member, of a notched pin connecting said members, a key held in place by said members and extending through one notch of the pin, a bracket at the bottom of one of said members and having oppositely disposed slots, and a removable retainer extending through said slots and engaging the other one of the pin notches for holding the pin inposition, said retainer having a depending lug portion capable of passing through one of the slots when the pin is in a. raised posi-- tion, but cooperating with the bracket and acting to prevent removal of the retainer when the pin to prevent the pin from being inserted from ,above.

10. In combination, a coupler shank member, a draft member, a pivot pin connecting said members and having a notch in its lowermost end, in-

' tegral means on one of said members engageable with the top of the pivot pin for limiting its upward movement, a bracket depending from the bottom of the member and provided with oppositely disposed slotted lugs, and a pin retainer extending through the slots of the lugs and having a side surface engageable with'the notch of the pin for limiting downward movement of the pin andpreventing the pin from turning, said in retainer having depending lug means for preventing the retainer from being removed from the V slotsso long as the pin is in its lowermost position, said integral means beingnormally spaced from thehead of the pin a distance approximately equal to the height of said depending lug means, so that the retainer and its depending lug means may pass through one of said slots when the pin is in its uppermost position, and'removable'means normally cooperating with said 

